5 Big News Stories Overnight - Monday, June 1, 2026

Middle East Turning More Violent

Al Jazeera reports:

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he has “instructed the Israeli military to expand the manoeuvre in Lebanon” after the occupation of the strategic Beaufort Castle, which he says marks “a dramatic change” in Israel’s invasion of the country.

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has accused Israel of pursuing a “scorched-earth policy” as Israeli forces expand their ground invasion.

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth warns that Washington is ready to resume strikes against Iran if the ongoing negotiations collapse.

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s parliamentary speaker and top negotiator, says Tehran ⁠will ⁠not accept any agreement that ends its conflict ⁠with the US unless there ⁠is certainty that the Iranian people’s rights are secured, state media report.

Trump Sends Tougher Terms to Iran for Peace Framework, Officials Say

New York Times reports:

President Trump has toughened the terms of a potential framework for a deal to end the war in Iran, and has sent those proposed changes back to the country for consideration, according to three officials.

It was not immediately clear what changes had been made to the text of the agreement.

Mr. Trump has been concerned about parts of the potential deal that would include unfreezing funds for the Iranians, two officials said. He has been harshly critical of President Barack Obama for doing the same in the more than decade-old agreement that was signed to curtail Iran’s nuclear program.

Mr. Trump has also been frustrated by how long it has taken for Iran to respond to U.S. proposals, one official said. The proposals have been hammered out with the involvement of intermediaries, including from Pakistan.

U.S.: States balk at the high price of Medicaid work requirements amid budget crunch

Politico reports:

The Trump administration is counting on Medicaid work requirements to save the government billions of dollars. But well before the rules formally go into effect Jan. 1, they’re costing already-strapped states millions or tens of millions to implement.

State health departments are having to funnel resources into hiring more staff, paying for overtime, and upgrading their aging technology systems so they can determine which low-income residents are working, volunteering, caregiving, or studying enough hours to keep their Medicaid coverage. They are also building new systems to determine who is sick enough to qualify for an exemption.

Democratic state officials, most of whom oppose the policy, say it’s an unfair burden at a time when many states can least afford it – amid drops in tax revenue and federal funding as a result of other policies in last year’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The work requirements in that party-line law apply only to states that expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, and only to people enrolled in that expansion, who typically make more money than those covered by traditional Medicaid.

U.K.: Epstein survivor accuses Palace of cover-up

The Telegraph reports:

A survivor of Jeffrey Epstein has accused Buckingham Palace of covering up the actions of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

Jess Michaels, who was sexually assaulted by Epstein in 1991 when she was 22 years old, claimed the institution had failed to act on evidence that he had leaked confidential government information.

Speaking to The Telegraph, she accused the Palace of “protecting” Mr Mountbatten-Windsor after it had received emails six years ago showing that he had shared sensitive government information with a business contact while he was a trade envoy.

“Six years ago, the Palace knew Andrew wasn’t just a problem; he could face a criminal investigation. And they sat on it,” Ms Michaels said in a statement to The Telegraph.

Death toll from Israeli attacks on Lebanon exceeds 3,400 — health ministry

Tass - Russian News Organization reports:

At least 41 people died and 140 more were injured after Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon during the past day, despite the ceasefire that has been in force since April 17, the country’s health ministry said.

"The overall death toll since the outbreak of the ongoing armed escalation on March 2 has climbed to 3,412, with 10,269 people being injured," it said in a statement posted on its X page. 

According to the ministry, as Israeli air raids continue, the number of casualties may go further up by the end of the day.